Sterilizing device



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2 sheets-sheet 1 A FISCHER STERILIZING DEVICE l iled Ma 15 1925 .L5 y l?! 4 Jan. 18 1927.

1,614,950 A. yllScHER' 4STERILZING DEVICE Filed May 15, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 1 Jan. 18 1927.

Patente-d Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`.AJ'ilEltT FISCHER, 0F BERGEDORF-HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM IBERGEDORFER EISENWERK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, F BERGEDORF-HAMBURG,

GERMANY.

STERILIZING DEVICE.

Application filed May 15, 1925, Serial No. 30,495, and in Germany July 2, 1924.

My invention relates to devices for sterilizing liquids and more especially to devices in which liquids, for instance milk, are sub-y jected to protracted heating. vIn the protracted heating of liquids for sterilizing purposes the temperature is kept comparatively low, but is allowed to act on the liquid a comparatively long time. Sterilization should lead to a destruction ot lall germs without however depriving the liquid et its desirable qualities.

In devices ot this kind as heretofore constructed the delivery and discharge ot the liquid was as a rule effected by means ot cocks or valves. Such parts, however, involve drawbacks which may render the treatment et' the liquid a total failure, as part of the liquid which may not have been subjected to the action of heat for a sutiicient length of time, may be mixed with the sterilized liquid which is thus polluted.

Itis an object ot my invention to overcome these drawbacks by eliminatingvalves or cocks altogether. To this end I provide a plurality of chambers or tanks which are combine-d into a unit adapted to rotate about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis, such chambers or tanks being automatically and successively filled and discharged during each revolution.

In the drawings atlixed to this specitication and forming part thereof several dc'- vices embodying my invention are illustrated diagrammaticaily by way ot example.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section et one modication,

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a second modification.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3-3 and 4--4 in Fig. 1, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a drum provid-ed with -end plates 2 and 3 and snrrounded by a heating jacket 4. 5 and 6 are tubular trunnions at the end plates 2 and 3 supported on pairs of rollers 7, 7, and 3, 8, respectively. The drum 1 can thus rotate about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis and any suitable means, not shown, may be employed for slowly rotating it.

9, 1(7), 11 and 12 are longitudinal partitions which Vsubdivide the drum into tour compartments a, b, c, and d. It will be under- Stood that any number of partitions and compartments may be provided and that, instead ot forming compartments by partitions as shown, 1tis also possible to arrange separate tanks in a rotary frame.

13 is a pipe forrdelivering the liquid to be treated to a chamber 14 in the trunnion 6, this pipe being arranged in the axis ot the drum so as not to interfere with its rotation. rIhe inner end ot the pipe 13 is bent radially at 16, and 17 is a ioat valve adapted to slide on said bend and to close it when the liquid has attained the level L, as shown l in Fig. 1. Means such as a stuffing box (not shown) may be provided in the cover 15 at the frontend ot the chamber 14 through which the pipe 13 passes, but all packing means may be dispensed with as the level of the liquid is below the pipe 13 and the liq uid has no tendency to splash on account ot' the slow rotation oit the drum. Delivery 'pipes 18, 19, 20 and 21 connect each of the chambers a, b, c and (l with the chamber 14 in the trunnion 6, such pipes opening into the chambers near the periphery ot the drum.

It will be understood that by these means the liquid is maintained atl the same level in the chamber14 and those chambers a., b, c, d, which are 1n a corresponding position.

Each chamber is connected with a Vdischarge pipe 22, 23, 24, 25. 26 is a discharge tube connected with the several discharge pipes.

Vent pipes 28 may be provided near the innerends ot the chambers in order to remove the air during the iilling periods.

Suit-able means (not shown) may be provided t'or supplying` a heating medium or liquid to the jacket 4. rIhe acket may however alsoV be dispensed `with altogether and hot liquid may be supplied to the device Such jackets may from a separate heater.

also be provided at the end plates, as shown in Fig. 2, where a chamber is formed at thel end plate 2 by a plate 27. It is also possible to construct the partitions 9, 10, 11 and 12 as hollow walls and to cause heating liquid or Huid to circulate therein, as indicated at 9 in Fig. It will be understood that in an apparatus provided with heating jackets as described it is possible to supply hot liquid to the device and to maintain it at a suitable' temperature, or cold liquid may be supplied to the device and gradually heated therein.

AWhen the drum l1 is rotating slowly, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4l, the liquid which is supplied to the chamber 1.1- through the pipe 13, is conducted to those chambers, which are in the llowest positions at the'time, through the pipes 18, 19, 20 and 21, respectively. 'lathe position shown in Fig. 4 the chamber dis being illed through the pipe 18. As soon as the openingofthe pipel19 in the lchamber c gets below the liquid level L-L, the lilling period of the chamber c begins. No liquid is delivered to the pipes 2o and 21 ot the chambers b and a as their openings in the chamber 14 are above theliquid level. The 'lilling period of a chamber is finished when the partition adjoining a pipe is substantially horizontal (g in Fig. 4t). .Inthis position 'theA delivery and discharge pipes oi a chamber are above'the liquid level. It will be understood that the liquid is continuously agitated 'by the rotation .of the drum also in those chambers which are not beingtilled or discharged. The di-scharge period of a lilled chamber begins when the opening of. .the corresponding `discharge pipe gets below the liquid level in that chamber. The openings of the delivery pipes are always above the liquid level in any -position so` that the liquid can never return to the chamber 14. "When a discharge pipe has moved past its horizontal position, intermediate conditions will prevail in the corresponding chamber, so that this cham ber is :neither filled nor discharged. As soon, however, as Athe opening of a delivery pipe gets below vthe level of liquid in the chamber'lt, the filling period of that cham-- ber'will begin. It is important that the openings of the discharge pipes be near the periphery of the drum, though 4not so near as the openings of the delivery .pipes 20. Any` scum or other 'floating matter which may collect on the surface ot the liquid is ldischarglged tirst. lAs soon as the discharging period has begun, a siphon action is exerted on the' liquid and the greaterl part ot' the scum is removed immediately. 'This is very important from the point'o'view of .thorough sterilization.

I wish it to be understood thatI do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim l 1. lA device for sterilizing liquids comprising a plurality of containers arranged for simultaneous rotation about a common axis, an axially arranged rotary liquid supply, liquid governed means in said liquid supply for regulating the inflow ot fresh liquid, communication between said liquid supply and a point near the outer periphery of each container and an exhaust extending from a point near the outerperiphery otl each container to an axial'exhaust port.

S2. A device for sterilizing liquids comprising a rotary drum, substantially radial partitions defining chambers in said drum, an axially `arranged liquid supply chamber adapted to rotate w' keeping constant kthe liquid level in said supply, a radiatiilling tube establishing communication between said supply andeach chamber .and ending at a point near the outer periphery oi' said tube and a radial exhaust tube extending radially from -a common axial exhaust port into each chamber and ending at a point near the outer periphery of said drum.

3. A device for sterilizing liquids comprising a rotary drum, a heating jacket surrounding` said drum, substantially radial partitions defining chambers in said drum, an axially arranged liquid supply chamber adapted to rotate with said drum,` means for keeping constant the 'liquid level in said supply, a radial illing tube establishing communication between said supply vand veach chamber and. ending at a point near the outer periphery of said tube and a radial exhaust tube extending radially from -a common axial exhaust port into each chamber 'and ending at a point near the outer periphery of said drum.

1. A device for sterilizing liquids comprising a rotary drum, substantially radial partitions defining chambers in said 'drum an axially arranged liquidsupply chamber adapted to rotate with said drum, means for keeping constant the liquid level in said supply, a radial illing tube establishing communication between said supply and each chamber and ending at a point near the `outer periphery of said tube, a radial exhaust tube extending radially `from `a common axial exhaust portinto each chamber and ending at a point near the outer periphery of said drum and a vent pipe for each chamber.

5. A device for sterilizing liquids comprising a rotary drum, partitions defining compartments in said drum, automatic means operated by the rotation of said drum for supplying liquid to and discharging liquid irom said compartments, and Ameans ior maintaining the liquid supplied at constant level below the axis of said rotary drum.

6. A device tor sterilizing liquids comprising a rotary drum, partitions defining th said drum, means for Ulti compartments in said drum, a. oo-aXiaI hollow cylinder arranged at one end of said drum, means for supplying liquid to said cylinder', pipes connecting said cylinder with said compartments, and opening at a given distance from the yperiphery of said drum, and a discharge pipe 1n each compartment opening` at a distance from the periphery of said drum which is greater than the distance of the openings of said supply pipes from 10 said periphery.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

ALBERT FISCHER. 

